Production of derivatives of polyhydric alcohols



Patented Feb. 2, 1937 H STAT .zmm

tion March 18, 1933, Serial No. 881,578.

Germany May 22, 1930 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to derivatives of polyhydric alcohols and a process of producing same.

As has been set forth in our Patent No.

1,959,930, dated May 22, 1934, of which this application is a division we have found. that valuable derivatives of polyhydric alcohols are obtained by etherifying part of the hydroxyl groupsin aliphatic polyhydric alcohols, including their polyhydric derivatives or substitution products, containing more than 3 carbon atoms in the molecule, with aliphatic substances which contain at least 6, preferably from to 18, carbon atoms in the molecule.

Among the said higher alcohols and their derivatives may be mentioned, for example, pentaerythritohhexitols, various kinds of sugars, carbohydrates or their hydrogenation products, such as sorbitol, as well as the derivatives and substitution products of these substances, as for example the hydroxy-alkyl ethers obtainable by the action of alkylene oxides on polyhydric alcohols, such as for example the hydroxy-alkyl ethers of glycerol, pentaerythritol or sorbitol and like derivatives, such as alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or aralkyl ethers; suitable ethers are for example the methyl, ethyl, butyl, hexyl or cyclohexyl ethers.

In order to introduce the substances with at least 6 carbon atoms in the molecule, alkyl, or hydroxy-alky1 halides (halogenhydrins), alkylene oxides, as for example hexylene or dodecylene oxides, alcohols and the like may be employed. It is often preferable to carry out thereaction in inert solvents, such as hydrocarbons, ethers and the like.

For example the mono-hydroxy-dodecyl ether of sorbitol hexa-hydroxy-ethyl ether may be obtained by acting with about 1 molecular proportion of dodecylene chlorhydrin on about 1 molecular proportion of sorbitol hexa-hydroxy-ethyl ether in the presence of an equivalent quantity of alkali, or the said sorbitol 'hexa-hydroxyethyl ether may be employed in the form of its alkali metal compound. If free alcohols be'employed, acid agents capable of removing water such as zinc chloride or concentrated sulphuric acid, are advantageously employed.

It will easily be understoodthat the products according to the present invention correspond to the general formula.

properties.

(01. zoo-151) in which R denotes an aliphatic radicle containing at least 4 carbon atoms, R1 an aliphatic radicle containing at least 5, preferably from 9 to 17 carbon atoms, and n is any integral number corresponding to the number of carbon atoms 5 of R less at least 2, R2 is an aliphatic radicle, m any integral number and p is any integral number above 1 and is at the most the number of carbon atoms of R less n.

The products thus obtained have important Most of them are readily soluble in water,- or at least easily emulsifiable in water, although they contain a large number of carbon atoms in the molecule, suchas sorbitol hexahydroxy-ethyl ether, and generally those containing at least two free hydroxyl groups or several hydroxy-alkyl groups.

The more or less easily water-soluble ethers which are obtainable from the said polyhydric alcohols and their derivatives, as for example sorbitol hexa-hydroxy-ethyl ether, by subsequent treatment with high molecular halogen parafiins, halogenated hydroxy paraffins or halogenated olefines or carboxylic acids and the like are valuable wetting, cleansing and dispersing agents, without possessing with few exceptions, the disadvantages of basic or acid groups either as such or in the 'saltiorm hithertoinherent to the substances usually employed as wetting agents.

The said wetting, cleansingdispersing and the like agents may be advantageously employed for example in the textile industry for washing, oarbonizing, dyeing, printing, rendering fibres soft .and flexible and like purposes, in spinning artificial threads as additions to the precipitating baths or to the spinning solutions, and also in the leather industry, for examplefiin soaking hides, in the cleaning industry for the preparation of cleaning agents of all kinds. 'Boring agents and lubricantshaving excellent properties may also be prepared with the aid of the said substances. They may be employed in acid, alkaline or neutral liquors with or without additions. Condensation products which still contain several free hydroxyl groups have proved especially advantageous for wetting and emulsifying purposes.

Moreover, the ethersobtalnable according: to the present invention which are difiicultly soluble or insoluble in water but which are easily emulsifled in water or aqueous solutions also possess valuable properties, for example they may be employed as soft resins or waxes for softening, sizing and like purposes. in the textile industries in the preparation of numerous artificial materials or theymaybeconvertedintoproductsvaluableas assistants in the textile industries by sulphonation.

The following example will further illustrate the nature of this invention. but the invention is not restricted to this example. The parts are by weizht.

Implc 11.6 parts of sodium are dissolved in 200 parts of anhydrous ethyl alcohol, and 220 parts of sorbitol hexa-hydroxy-ethyl ether are then added and the solution is heated under reilux for several hours. The ethyl alcohol is then evaporated in vacuo whereby the mono-sodium compound of the aforesaid ether is obtained as a tough, vitreous mass. This product is then heated for 14 hours at 160 C. in a closed vessel provided with a stirring device together with 110 parts of 1.2- dodecylene-chlorhydrin and is then dissolved in water after cooling to room temperature. Remainders of the chlorhydrin are removed and the solution is rendered weakly acid with the aid of dilute hydrochloric acid, rendered neutral with aqueous soda solution and decolorized, if necessary, with decolorizing carbon. The water is then evaporated and the reaction product is recovered from the solid residue containing salt by extraction with ethyl alcohol. After evaporating the alcohol a yellowish, viscous oil is obtained which is completely soluble in water and consists apparently of the mono-hydroxy-dodecyl ether of sorbitol hexa-hydroxy-ethyl ether:

locdH-OH).

The yield is from to per cent of the theoretical yield calculated on the chlorhydrin employed.

The product possesses a high wetting power, and a colorless clear 0.5 per cent aqueous solution, for example, has a strong wetting eflect even in the presence of alkaline or acid agents or of calcium compounds so that hard water may be employed for the solution in contrast to soaps and other wetting agents a large number of which are precipitated by calcium compounds. In the place oi the said ether a 0.3 per cent aqueous solution wherein R is an aliphatic group with at least 4 carbon atoms, R1 represents a member of the class consisting of alkyl and hydroxyalkyl groups with at least 5 carbon atoms, 11 being an integral number corresponding to the number of carbon aooasso atomsofnlessatleast2,mbeinganyintegral number from 1 to 6 and p abovelandatthemostequaltothenumberoi carbon atoms oi R less n, the said hydroxyalkyl ethers being obtainable by introducing the group R1 into a hydroxyl groups of a compound [0-alkylmo-0Iil.

wherein thesymbols R, a, 1n and 9 have the same meaning as above.

2. Hydroxyalkyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols corresponding to the general formula l Y 0)- 1, wherein R is an aliphatic group with at least 4 carbon atoms, R1 represents a member of the class consisting of alkyl and hydroxyalkyl groups with from 9 to 17 carbon atoms, 1: being an integral number corresponding to the number 0! carbon atoms of R less at least 2, m being any integral number from 1 to 6 and p any integral number above 1 and at the most equal to the number of carbon atoms of R less 11, the said bydroxyalkyl ethers being obtainable by introducing the group R1 into 1: hydroxyl groups of a compound wherein the symbols R, n, m and p have the same meaning as above.

3. Hydroxyalkyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols corresponding to the general formula [o-mk lm-mrm, wherein R is an aliphatic group with from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, R1 represents a member of the .class consisting of alkyl and hydroxyalkyl groups with at least 5 carbon atoms, n being an integral number corresponding to the number of carbon atoms of R less at least 2, m being any integral number from 1 to 6 and p any integral number above 1 and at the most equal to the number of carbon atoms of R less n, the said hydroxyalkyl ethers being obtainable by introducing the group R1 into n hydroxyl groups of a compound {0-(alkylene0)-H1,

wherein the symbols R, n, m and have the same meaning as above.

4. Hydroxyalkyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols corresponding to the general formula (m1m- -m,

wherein R is an aliphatic group with from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, R1 represents a member of the class consisting of alkyl and hydroxyalkyl groups with from 9 to 1'7 carbon atoms, n being an integral number corresponding to the number of carbon atoms of R less at least 2, 11: being any integral number from 1 to 6 and 12 any integral number above 1 and at the most equal to the number of carbon atoms of R less n, the said hydroxyalkyl ethers being obtainable by introducaooasao 3 ing the group R1 into n hydroxyl groups of a compound wherein the symbols R, n, m and p have the same meaning as above.

5. Hydroxyalkyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols corresponding to the general formula wherein R is an aliphatic group with 6 carbon atoms, R1 represents a member 01' the class consisting of alkyl and hydroxyalkyl groups with at least 5 carbon atoms, n being an integral number from 1 to 4 and 12 being 6 less 11, the said hydroxyalkyl ethers being obtainable by introducing the group R1 into n hydroxyl groups of a compound R-[O-alkylene-OHhw wherein the symbols R, n and p have the same meaning as above. 1

6. Hydroxyalkyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols corresponding to the general formula wherein R is an aliphatic group with 6 carbon atoms, R1 represents a member of the class consisting of alkyl and hydroxyalkyl groups with from 10 to18 carbon atoms, 11 being an integral number from 1 to 4 and p being 6 less n, the said hydroxyalkyl ethers being obtainable by introducing the group R1 into n hydroxyl groups of a compound R-[O-alkylene-OHlHv wherein the symbols R, n and p have the same meanin as above.

,7. The compound corresponding to the formula:

Mr-O-Gflr-O-OiIr-OMOE-Omfla wherein the group Celia stands for the carbon chain of sorbitol and the hydrogen atoms directly attached thereto, the said compound being obtainable by reacting equimolecular amounts of the mono-sodium compound of sorbitol hexahydroxyethyl ether, and of 1,2-dodecylenechlor-- hydri'n.

8. Hydroxyalkyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols corresponding to the general formula [0-alkylene-O-Rfl. R

l0--olkylene-0H], wherein R is the hydrocarbon nucleus of sorbitol, R1 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical containing from 10 to 18 carbon atoms, 11 being an integral number from 1 to 6, and 9 being an integral number equal to 6 minus n, the said hydroxyalkyl ethers being obtainable by introducing the group R1 into n hydroxyl groups of a compound /[0-alkylene-OH]- IO-alkyIenkOH],

wherein the symbols R, n and p have the same meaning as above.

O'I'IO SCHMIDT.

EGON MEYER. 

